Device for diffusing excessive shoulder-flesh.



u. E. DUFFY. V DEVICE FOR DIFFUSING EXCESSIVE SHOULDER FLESH.

APPLICATION FILEU FEB. 11. 1916.

Patented J1'1 ne18, 1918.

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ENT rrron.

DORA E. DUFFY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR DIFFUSIN G EXCESSIVE SHOULDER-FLESH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11 18, 1918,

Application filed February 11, 1916. Serial No. 77,54 6.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DORA E. DUFFY, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for DiffusingExcessive Shoulder-Flesh, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for difl'usingexcessive shoulder flesh, which on tightening a corset to fit thewearer, forms an unsightly roll about the adjacent upper edge of thecorset, and which, moreover pushes the corset away from the center ofthe back, and thereby sharply outlines the edge against the corset coveror other clothing, as may be, to an objectionable degree.

In efforts to remove the unsightliness of this excessive shoulder flesh,corsets have heretofore been provided with an upward extension acrosstheir back consisting of a non-elastic fabric stitched to the upper edgeof the corset, and normally projecting at a right angle to that of thecorset, so that when and from tightening the corset to fit the wearer,there is produced in the extension piece a tension forcing upwardly andcompressing the flesh, with the result that on finally tightening thecorset the surface of the flesh is curved on a line merging into that ofthe back of the corset.

It is here to be observed, however, that the pushing of the excessiveflesh upwardly from a corset in efforts to reduce the unsightliness ofthe fold before referred to, unavoidably produces a fullness in thecurvature and massiveness of flesh imparting to the shoulders anappearance so unnatural and undesirable as to practically prohibit theuse of an extension piece, requiring the tightening of a corset for itsoperation.

From the foregoing it will now be apparent that any means by which it ispossible and practical to dissipate. excess flesh from the upper edge ofthe corset, waist, etc., and from the shoulders, and thereby restore thenatural curve will be a material and substantial improvement in the art.

The prime object of my invention broadly stated is to provide a means,which when supported in its operative position from either a corset, awaist, a waist band or other support suitable therefor, is capable ofexerting a force dissipating excess shoulder.

A further object of'my invention is to i provide such a device with tosubstantially reduce, if not eventually remove in its entirety, thesurplus flesh, so dissipated and confined, and without discomfort to thewearer;

Another object of my invention is to provide a shoulder flesh reducerwith means for its adjustment from time to time for dissie pating andfollowing the subsequent removal of the excess flesh from the shoulders.

With these ends in view, my invention finds embodiment in certainfeatures of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement ofparts by which the said objects and certain other objects are attained,all as hereinafter fully described with reference to the" accompanyingdrawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Insaid drawing: 1

Figure 1 illustrates in rear elevationin its operative position upon acorset, a shoulder flesh reducer in which my invention finds itsembodiment.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the reducer detached from a corset.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the reducer and a corset on theline 44 of Fig. 1, with dotted lines indicating the relative position ofexcess shoulder flesh to the corset1 before the operation of thereducer, anc 1 Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing the adjustingdevices for the reducer and the concealing gore therefor. v

Similar characters of reference indicate the same parts in the severalfigures of the drawing. I

The form of the device vention finds embodiment may be generallydescribed to be that of a crescent divided into three sections, thedimensions of which are such that the middle section 6 is adapted toextend across the back from arm pit means adapted in which my into armpit, with its lower edge extending along and touching a line aboutmidway between the waist line and shoulder blades with its upper edgetouching a plane about on a line with the shoulders, as indicated inFigs. 1 and a, with the end sections 7 and 8 of a length adapting themto be projected downwardly below and forwardly of the arm pits of thewearer, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The middle section 6 and the end sections 7 and S are preferablyconnected at their upper edges by a binding 9, but are separated attheir lower edge and may be separately provided with bindings 10, 11 and12.

Below their upper edge these several sections are connected at intervalswith lacing cords 13, passed through opposing perforations l4therethrough, the open space between which sections is preferablyconcealed from view by means of a foldable gore 15 of any materialadapted therefor.

The opposing edges of the middle and end sections are preferablyreinforced respectively by stiffening strips 16 and 17, preferablyfeather bone, as is also the middle section 6 at intervals of itslength, as indicated at 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 for the purpose ofpreventing folds in the foundation of the fabric across the back betweenthe arm pits from tension, when in its op erative position exerting aforce sufiicient to dissipate the excess flesh from the shoulders of thewearer.

When for any reason it is not necessary or desirable to remove theexcess flesh dissipated from the shoulders, the strip may be constructedin its entirety of any strong flexible, but non-resilient material, suchfor example as drilling.

\Vhen, however, it is pro-posed to remove the flesh dissipated from theshoulders, the strip is provided with panels 23 and 24: of elasticwebbing interposed between and secured to the vertical edges of acentral panel 25 of non-resilient material and the fabric sheathing thefeatherbones 16 16, and which inwardly therefrom may sheath featherbones26-2G.

Secured to and dividing the resilient panels 23 and 245 arefeather-bones 18 and 22, before described in connection with adissipator constructed in its entirety from a non-elastic fabric.

The elastic webbing panels take the form of downwardly converging goresso that they extend over the surface of a greater area of excess fleshnext their upper portion and where the excess flesh is thicker and thetension of the panels is correspondingly greater than at their lowerends, in order that confined excess flesh at this point may be removedquicker if need be, than downwardly therefrom toward the lower portionof the shoulder blades, and which removal is made possible by the use ofthe flexible panels as will now be described.

hen the device of my invention is supported from either a corset, awaist, or a waist band these articles of wearing apparel, as may be,must be first adjusted to the wearer, and while in their operativeposition, the device is pushed downwardly until its bottom edge projectsa short distance above and in a plane parallel with the waist line,followed by temporarily pinning it, preferably to the upper edge of thesupport, then adjusting the lacings of the device until as a whole itexerts a pressure sufficient without discomfort to the wearer, pushingthe excess flesh downwardly from the shoulders, and away from the middleof the back, and finally tacking the device at intervals of its bottomedge to its support.

When the device is constructed in its entirety of non-resilient fabricsuch for ex ample as drilling, its operation is confined to dissipatingexcess flesh from the shoulders and back and it is therefore only whenit becomes desirable or necessary to provide a means for removing theexcess flesh so dissipated that the device is provided with a resilientwebbing forming resilient panels located as shown in the drawings and asbe fore described, and which for obtaining the best results are indirect contact with the dissipated excess shoulder flesh.

It will now be observed that with every movement of the arms and back ofthe wearer, these resilient panels are expanded and contracted, whichexpansion and contraction is frictionally resisted by the ex cess fleshwith the result that such flesh is moved under pressure back and forth,and thereby massaged with sufiicient frequency to substantially if notin time entirely remove such flesh.

In short, the resilient panels not only cooperate with the other andnon-resilient portions of the device for pushing the excess fleshdownwardly, and thereby dissipating it from the shoulders, but to massage, and thereby remove it as far as may be, and at a point where thegreater part of the excess flesh is held and confined by the device,namely below the shoulder blades at a point removed from the center ofthe back.

So far as I am now aware my invention is the first to provide any meansor devices, which when supported from either a corset, a waist, a waistband, or other suitable support is adapted to exert a force capable ofdissipating excess flesh from the shoulders in a direction restoring theshoulders to their natural appearance, and at the same time sodistributing excess flesh as to conceal its unsightliness from view, orwhich is provided with any means operating automatically withoutdiscomfortto the wearer adapted to remove the excess in shoulder flesh.

With this understanding, it is now observed that my invention is notlimited to the specific construction or materials of constructionhereinbefore described and shown in the drawings, but includes anyconstructions or materials adapted to produce the same results and whichmay be included within the terms of the claims hereinafter made. 1

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A device for dissipating excessive shoulder flesh adapted to besupported at its lower edge from a corset, a waist, a waist band, orother suitable support, consisting of a strip of flexible fabricextending transversely across the back to about the arm pits, and from aplane about midway between the waist llne and shoulder blades, andthence upwardly to a plane about touching a line drawn across theshoulders of the wearer, and means for adjusting the tension of saidstrip for exerting a force dissipating excessive shoulder fleshdownwardly from the shoulders, and away from the center of the back.

2. A device for dissipating excessive shoulder flesh adapted to besupported at its lower edge from a corset, a waist, a waist band, orother suitable support, consisting of a strip of flexible fabricextending transversely across the back to about the arm pits, and from aplane about midway between the waist line and shoulder blades, andthence upwardly to a plane about touching a line drawn across theshoulders of the wearer, and a lacing therein for producing andadjusting the tension of said strip.

3. A device for dissipating excessive shoulder flesh adapted to besupported at its lower edge from a corset, a waist, a waist band orother suitable support, consisting of a strip of flexible fabricextending transversely across the back to a point beneath the arm pits,and from a plane about midway between the waist line and shoulder bladesand thence upwardly to a plane about touching a line drawn across theshoulders of the wearer, and means for adjusting the tension of saidstrip for exerting a force dissipating excessive shoulder fleshdownwardly from the shoulders, and away from the center of the back.

4:. A device for dissipating excessive shoulder flesh adapted to besupported at its lower edge from a corset, a waist, a waist band, orother suitable support, consisting of a strip of flexible fabricextending transversely across the back beneath and forwardly of the. armpits, and from a plane about midway between the waist line and its loweredge from a corset, a

'- edge touching a line about shoulder blades, and thence upwardly to'aplane about touching a line drawn across the shoulders of the wearer,and means for ad'- justing the tensionof said strip for exerting a forcedissipating excessive shoulder flesh downwardly from the shoulders, andaway from the center of the back.

5. A device for dissipating excessive shoulder flesh adapted to besupported at waist, a waist band, or other suitable support, consistingof astrip of flexible'fabric formed in three sections, the middlesection of which extends transversely across the back, with its lowermidway between the waist line and the shoulder blades, with its upperedge touching a line drawn through the shoulders in the vicinity of theupper surface thereof, and with its end sections extending downwardlybeneath the arm pits, and means connecting said sections adapted toadjust their tension, and thereby increasing and diminishing their forcedissipating excessive shoulder flesh away from the shoulders anddownwardly below the upper edge of said sections.

6. A device for dissipating and removing excessive shoulder fleshadapted to be supported at its bottom edge from a corset, a waist, awaist band, or other suitable support, consisting of a strip of flexiblefabric, extending transversely across the back to about the arm pits,and from about midway between the waist line and shoulder blades andupwardly therefrom to about the shoulder line of the wearer, which saidstrip is provided with alternating transverse panels, the materials ofwhich are respectively elastic and non-elastic.

7. A device for dissipating and removing excessive shoulder fleshadapted to be supported at its bottom edge from a corset, a waist, awaist band, or other suitable support, consisting of a strip of flexiblefabric extending transversely across the back to about the arm pits, andfrom about midway between the waist line and shoulder blades andupwardly therefrom to about the shoulder line of the wearer, which saidstrip is provided with alternating transverse panels, the materials ofwhich are respectively elastic and non-elastic, and means for adjustingthe tension of said panels.

8. A device for dissipating excessive shoulder flesh adapted to besupported at its lower edge from a corset, a waist, a waist band orother suitable support, consisting of alternating elastic andnon-elastic panels of flexible fabric forming a strip extendingtransversely across the back to arm pits, with its bottom edge touchinga. line parallel with and midway between the waist line and that of theshoulder blades, with its top edge touching a line drawn through theshoulders of the wearer, and 130 beneath the means for adjusting thetension of the strip, whereby the resilient panels are operated by themovement of the arms and body of the wearer to massage and to removeexcessive flesh opposed thereto.

9. A device for dissipating and removing excessive shoulder fleshadapted to be supported at its lower edge from a corset, a waist, awaist band or other suitable support consisting of an approximatelycrescent shaped strip of flexible fabric, provided with alternatingpanels respectively of re- Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the silient and non-resilient material inalternate arrangement with the resilient panels interposed between andconnecting a central and end panels of non-resilient material.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my DORA E. DUFFY.

Witnesses:

MILDRED ELsNER, J N0. G. ELLIOTT.

Commissioner of Fatents,

Washington, I). G.

